The New York Jets took advantage of the Oakland Raiders and rookie quarterback Derek Carr in a 19-14 win at the Meadowlands on Sunday. Our takeaways:
- We expected Rex Ryan's defense to have its way with Carr, and that's exactly what happened. The rookie rarely had the luxury of a clean pocket and was unable to test New York's suspect secondary for most of the afternoon. The Raiders were held to 158 total yards, their fewest in a game since 2009. That's also the last time Oakland has won a game on the East Coast. Yikes.
- Geno Smith offered up a mixed bag on Sunday. The second-year QB showed increased accuracy (12 consecutive completions at one point) and good rushing ability (40 yards on eight carries). But he also threw an interception, fumbled twice and took an unnecessary sack that knocked the Jets out of field-goal range. Smith must cut down on the mental errors.
- The Jets' new-look backfield is off to a great start. Chris Ivory iced the game with a 71-yard touchdown run that featured some surprising speed and one deeply premature celebratory gesture. Chris Johnson added 91 total yards and a touchdown reception on a shovel pass from Smith.
- The Raiders' backfield was a different story. Maurice Jones-Drew and Darren McFadden couldn't take the heat off their rookie QB, finishing with 26 yards and 13 carries. MJD won't forget this Quinton Coples hit any time soon.
The latest "Around The NFL Podcast" covers the Falcons' impressive offense, RGIII's struggles and recaps all Sunday's Week 1 action.
